Gossip Girl: Twists & Turns
by ElicitRain
Summary: N moves away without warning, shocking B and breaking her heart. Then, N's cousin unexpectedly joins the Upper East Side scene. This is my first time writing a GG fic. It's still being planned and I dunno where it's going, but enjoy what's here so far :D
1. worshippers, gossipers they're everywher

_**worshippers, gossipers - they're everywhere**_

"Serena!"

Serena van der Woodsen's blonde head jerked up off her desk, where she had been dozing. She rubbed her deep blue eyes sleepily while a few classmates snickered at her.

Why were they staring at her in that annoyed, rude way? This was History class, anyway. Everyone knew this was the time of day where you slept through the entire lesson simply because it was way too boring to live through.

Serena quickly grabbed her sky blue Montblanc pen and placed its tip on a random spot in her notebook to look as if she had been taking notes, looking up innocently at her teacher. "Yes?" she finally answered.

The teacher peered down at her from the whiteboard, which was full of her hasty scawls. "Are you paying attention, Miss van der Woodsen?" she scolded. "This is crucial information, you know."

Serena frowned, slowly nodding. Crucial? It couldn't possibly be more crucial than getting beauty sleep.

Yeah, like she needed that. She already got so much unnecessary attention.

"I heard she's on, like, five new drugs, and that's why she's been so drowsy lately," one girl tittered to her friend next to her. Her friend laughed obnoxiously, and the whole class turned to glare at her, shooting her down. The thing was, most girls at Constance Billard was jealous of Serena's known flawlessness - so jealous they spread ridiculous rumors. The ones that weren't jealous practically worshipped her. So of course, her worshippers would attack any gossipers. It was too much to bear.

Oh come on. Gossip, especially about Serena van der Woodsen, makes the world go round.

The lunch bell rang. Immediately, the green-eyed, curly-haired girl that sat behind her jumped up and stood at Serena's desk while the others packed up hurriedly. "Let's go grab lunch, Serena!" she squealed overexcitedly, slinging her black messenger bag over her head.

Serena smiled kindly at her while she packed her own things. She was used to random, sometimes-weird girls coming up and acting like they were her dearest friend, because it was definitely a social status boost to be seen with her. Their act was so common, she usually turned them down. Serena decided today would be different. "Sure," she said, hoisting her bag onto her shoulder. "Let's go."


	2. ditched!

**_ditched!_**

Blair Waldorf sat alone at she and Serena's usual lunch table in the cafeteria, waiting impatiently for her best friend. Where the hell was she? Ten minutes had passed already; she was usually here by now. Slouched, with her chin resting in her left palm, Blair subconsciously picked at her onion rings while staring at the cafeteria doors, waiting for Serena to burst in in all her blond glory.

And that she did - with some tall, curly-haired girl Blair hardly knew. _What the fuck?_ Couldn't she at least have _told _Blair that she wanted to hang with someone else? Had Serena ditched her for some random chick?

Please. She's just arrived. How could this be classified as ditching already?

Serena and the brunette retrieved their lunch trays and headed toward the table. Blair straightened up and readied herself for a hot battle, one over her best friend.

_Blair Waldorf vs. Random Brunette Girl: round one! Ding!_

They sat down carefully. The brunette smiled at Blair, hands clasped in her lap. She glanced expectantly at Serena, who nodded. "Blair, this is, uh...," Serena paused guiltily. Who _was _this girl? All Serena knew was that she was in the same History class.

"Jenelle Archibald," the girl said helpfully, holding out her hand to shake. But Blair wouldn't take it, because she was frozen with shock. _Archibald? _"A...a relative of Nate's?" she said faintly. She hadn't seen or communicated with Nate, her ex-boyfriend, since he'd moved away very suddenly over winter vacation. And certainly Nate had never mentioned a Jenelle to her.

"No, his wife." Jenelle smirked mischievously, well aware the reaction she was going to get.

_What?_ Blair stood up suddenly, clutching her stomach. Her mind was running like crazy. Nate's _wife?_ _What was going _on?

"Oh Blair, I'm kidding!" Jenelle laughed, tugging on Blair's sleeve. Blair stiffened and snatched it away, glaring at her. "Sit down. You were right. Specifically, I'm his cousin."

_Cousin? _Blair never knew Nate's parents had siblings, much less a _niece_.

"Excuse me," Blair said curtly, grabbing Serena's arm. "I believe Serena and I have some..._things _to talk about. We'll be right back." She practically dragged the helpless Serena to an empty corner in the cafeteria.

"What - is - going - on - _Serena?_" hissed Blair, her vice grip still on Serena's arm. Blair was sure this was all an act planned by her, and she wanted to, like, fry her. "Who is this Jenelle? That girl just gave me a mini heart attack. Why has Nate never mentioned her? Why haven't _you _ever mentioned her, being her _friend? _Why -"

Serena winced as Blair's grip tightened at the end of every prying question. She quickly took her arm back and interrupted, "Blair, it's not as big a deal as you're making this. Nate probably just never saw it important to mention her. And she not really my _friend_, at least not _yet_. I just met her today. She's in my History class."

"You don't understand," Blair whined. "If you met her any sooner, I wouldn't have missed Nate over the break, having his new number and address and all! I felt so _dead!_"

_Missed_ Nate? That was an understatement. Blair had pined over how much she missed him the entire break instead of going out, partying, and having fun like every normal girl on break did.

Then again, many would disagree that she was _normal_.

"Well, you're alive," Serena insisted. Blair was, like always, overreacting to such little news. It really wasn't necessary. She touched Blair's shoulder gently. "Now come on. Let's go get to know Jenelle."

Blair wasn't sure she wanted to. She already resented Jenelle for scaring the shit out of her, and for not _telling_ her about Nate and saving her the misery over the break. She was going to get her back, that was for sure, regardless of Serena's belief she was overreacting.


	3. GG Entry 1

**hey people!**

I had the greatest winter vacation. Yep, better than yours. Of course it was. Because I am the best, and I deserve the best. But because I'm a woman of mystery, as you all know, I'm not sharing my eventful winter experience! I'm leaving all that up to your imaginations. Now while you imagine away, let's talk about others, because after all, that's what I love and you love and do best.

**The New Girl...  
**...who we'll be calling **J **from now on, since the old **J **disappeared, and we never see her anymore...but we'll get to that later. A supposed cousin of our beloved **N **has recently been discovered at our all-girl private school. You gotta admit, she's pretty. But what do you expect? She's related to **N**! And it looks like she may have some quarries with **B**. I'm _so_ keeping a close eye on them. This is just too good to let by.

**Your E-Mail  
****Q: **Whats up GG,

Today i happened to meet **b **...unintentionally. i was just hanging with **S** and she was there. she kinda made me wonder. like i talked to her and she suddenly got all uptight and stuff. and i said nothing wrong! do you know her? i really want to get along with her. **N** just told me so much about her and she seems like a good girl from what i hear.  
-jnl

**A: **Hey jnl,  
Are you sure you said nothing wrong? It could have been wrong to the sensitive **B**. All I can say is keep trying. If she won't even let you try, because it's obvious she wants nothing to do with you, maybe even ask **N** to help you out, huh? Wink, wink. If that doesn't work, then definitely give up, honey. The day that **N**'s allure doesn't work on her is surely a sad one.  
-GG  
P.S. **B **isn't _that _much of a good girl if you think about it.

**Q: **GG!  
did you know you're my savior?  
-iLvU

**A: **Dear iLvU,  
Yup I know. :)  
-GG

**Sightings  
****J **leaving campus and headed toward **Hot Topic** as soon as the bell rang, looking lost in thought...I'm sure I know what she was thinking: shopping fixes every problem! **B **and **S **sitting on the steps of the Met, drinking cappucinos and talking animatedly. Probably about **J**. **Me** in the school computer lab right at this moment, staring out the window at the bright, cloudless sky and publishing this entry.

Okay, and that last e-mail was a joke. I'd be pretty weirded out if I got something like that...well, not that I don't already get them! And today is too beautiful to stay in a stuffy computer lab. I'm gonna go grab a cappuccino of my own!

You know you love me,  
gossip girl


	4. phone calls

**_phone calls_**

Jenelle stepped into Hot Topic, looking around warily. She wasn't much of a shopping person, really, she wasn't. But she needed something to do, and what better things to do than go shopping? Maybe she could buy something for Blair so Blair wouldn't be so freaked out by her. She really wanted to know her after Nate had talked about her so much, but Blair hadn't seemed up to it earlier. In fact, she had given off _stay the fuck away from me _vibes the rest of the school day.

Jenelle stood off to the side next to a pile of band shirts. Blair had to like jewelry; what girl didn't like jewelry? She walked over to the jewelry stand, where a silver necklace caught her eye. It was simple: a chain of small, silver links with a blue jeweled heart hanging in the middle. Jenelle knew the necklace matched Blair's eyes. She removed the necklace and examined the price tag, eyes widening as she absorbed the information. _$15.00_. Whoa, that was a bit much for her.

Are you kidding? That's like a candy bar for the rest of the Upper East Side kids.

_Oh well,_ Jenelle thought. She didn't care, as long as Blair liked it. And if she didn't, well, Jenelle would be hurt. She paid quickly and sped outside, partially regretting that she didn't even take the time to look for new clothes, which were muchly needed. She had to find Blair, fast. But how? She didn't have her number.

Jenelle slowed to a walk and pulled her black Motorola Slvr out of her jean pocket, sorting through her address book and pressing the call button once she found the name.

"Jenelle?" slurred a voice.

"Naaate," Jenelle said excitedly. "Hey. I can tell you're like, not capable of much right now. But I need you to tell me Blair's number. Quick." She pressed the speakerphone button and waited for Nate to respond so she could type in the number.

There was a pause. "Blair's? I forgot it. I've always speed-dialed her. But uh, I know Serena's?"

Typical.

Nate recited Serena's number and Jenelle happily exclaimed "Thanks! See ya," making a kissing sound and hanging up. Then she pressed the call button again, having Serena's number typed in already.

"Hello?" A male voice answered.

"Um...hi." Jenelle stopped in her tracks, confused. Who had Serena's cell phone? "Is Serena van der Woodsen there? This is Jenelle Archibald, um, her friend?"

The guy burst into laughter. "Man, do I wish!" he said when he finally stopped laughing. "No, you've got the wrong number. This is Chuck Bass."

_Shit_. "Oh, I'm sorry!" Jenelle said hastily. She was going to kill Nate as soon as she got off the phone with Chuck. What was Nate thinking? "I'll be going now-"

"Hold on," Chuck interrupted, stopping her from hanging up. "You said you're an Archibald?"

Jenelle gripped the phone tightly, wondering where this was going. No girl ever trusted Chuck, who right now couldn't possibly be up to anything good, but she gave him the benefit of the doubt anyway. "Yes," she sighed.

Silence from the other end. Then finally, "Let's hang out sometime, huh?" As always, Chuck didn't sound very promising. "Been wondering what happened to Nate. Help me catch up."

"Yeah, right," Jenelle snorted. "I have better, more important things to do." This was a lie, but it saved her. "Good _bye, _Chuck." She ended the call and redialed Nate, ready to scold.

"Hey Jenelle," Nate said as he answered the phone. "What's up now?"

"What's up is," Jenelle scowled, annoyed, "you gave me Chuck Bass's number. I said _Serena_. To be honest, I really don't think Serena's name sounds anything like Chuck's!"

Jenelle could feel Nate's puzzlement on the other end. It was a long, awkward silence, then Nate said, "One sec." She heard him flipping through an address book. "Okay, it's-"

"Well if you have an address book, you may as well tell me Blair's," she sighed.

Nate frowned as he searched. "She's not in here...," he told her slowly, feeling lame.

Again, typical.

"Look, here's Serena's. I really gotta go, okay?" Nate didn't have time for this. He had to meet up with his buddies at Central Park in five minutes. He quickly recited Serena's number and hastily said "See you, Jenelle," before hanging up.

Jenelle pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it blankly. What number had he just told her? He'd said it too quickly. She typed each number as she remembered them, hoping it really was Serena's this time. If not, she was going to be seriously pissed at Nate.

"Hello?"

"Serena, hey!" Jenelle exclaimed, breathing a sigh of relief. "Listen, where are you? Are you with Blair?"

"Wait, who is this and how did you get my number?" Serena needed to make sure it wasn't one of the millions of stalkers that she'd never talked to.

A female stalker? Interesting, interesting.

"It's Jenelle, and Nate told me," Jenelle explained. "I need to see you and Blair, especially Blair, like, now."


	5. a change of heart

**_a change of heart_**

Serena mouthed to Blair that it was Jenelle. Blair frowned and averted her eyes to her steaming Starbucks cappuccino, fiddling with her navy acrylic scarf. She'd avoided that girl all day, and even planned to avoid her forever. She really didn't want to deal with her.

Serena was aware of this, of course, but she wanted them to get along. She knew Blair just couldn't see the bright side of meeting Jenelle, another Archibald, if there even was a dark side to it. "Well, come meet us at the Met," she said cheerfully into the phone, not daring to look at Blair, whose eyes suddenly shot hot daggers at her as she said it. "Okay. See you in a bit. 'Bye." She flipped her phone shut and looked straight at Blair. "What's wrong?"

Blair sighed heavily and ran her fingers through her auburn hair. "I just don't appreciate her. There is no reason to," she replied, sipping her cappuccino. She didn't want to talk about the weirdo with an even weirder sense of humor.

"Blair," Serena began, on the verge of despair, "Don't you realize she could help you and Nate get back together? She's nice. I'm sure she'd be happy to help you out."

"She's _weird_," Blair insisted, but then stopped herself as Serena's words sunk in. _Help her and Nate get back together._ Her lips curled into a sly grin. "Serena, you're such a genius sometimes," she proclaimed, pulling her best friend into a tight hug,

"Just be nice to her." Serena choked from being hugged so tightly. "I know how you are, Blair. Don't just use her and ditch-"

Blair pulled away and gave Serena a resentful look. "You're starting to sound like a mom," she pouted. "Come on, don't you think I _know _that?"

"Hi guys!" called a voice from behind them. They turned their heads to see Jenelle plop down in between them on the stairs, carrying a small Hot Topic bag. She looked at Blair and handed it to her. "This is for you," she explained. "I was hoping it would help bring us closer-"

"You're the greatest," Blair marveled, trying not to sound _too_ fake. She opened the bag and gently pulled out the necklace. _It's actually not that bad, _she thought, clasping it around her neck. She flashed a smile. "What do you think?"

"Beautiful," the other two girls chorused.

"It matches your eyes," Serena added.

"I knew it would," Jenelle said, a huge smile plastered on her face. "That's why I got it." She was relieved Blair liked it. Maybe this was a sign Blair would be more accepting of her now.

Blair, of course, was still slightly uncomfortable with Jenelle, but she had to admit, Jenelle was pretty nice for getting her a gift. It showed how much she wanted to get along with Blair. And now that Serena had given her a brilliant idea, Blair was going to be kind as she could be toward Jenelle.

"So," Blair said sweetly, "Tell us about yourself, huh?" She picked up her cappuccino off the step below her and downed the last of it. Licking her lips, she added, "What grade are you in?"

Jenelle shifted uncomfortably. "I'm a junior," she told her. She pulled out her phone and began playing with it. She wasn't sure what Blair was really asking of her.

"How often do you see Nate?" Blair wanted to know. Maybe one day she could go with Jenelle to see him too, so they could finally reunite.

"Not very often," admitted Jenelle, "but I call him like every day."

Blair wanted to hit her out of jealousy. To control herself, she began playing her fingers around the jeweled heart on her necklace. "Give me his new number?" she asked, though it sounded more like a desperate demand than a request. "I haven't seen or talked to him since before winter break."

Serena, who'd been idly twirling a strand of hair around her finger, perked up and turned to them. "Oh, me too, please," she said. She missed Nate as much as Blair did.

Blair narrowed her eyes at her. "You don't need Nate's number," she retorted with a hint of a growl in her voice. She knew Serena was "secretly" in love with Nate too, and she wasn't about to let her try to steal him away again. "He's my boyfriend."

"Used to be, before you lost contact with him," Serena responded, unaware of how bitchy she sounded. Blair stood up and folded her arms defiantly, leering down at Serena. "Well, I'm about to get him back," she said proudly. She pulled out her own phone and glanced back to Jenelle, whose sparkling green eyes purposely scanned the surrounding area, hoping they wouldn't involve her in their little rift. "So, tell me," she repeated.

Jenelle looked up at Blair. She could tell Blair was doing her best to contain her anger toward Serena and possibly herself. "Here you go." She told Blair Nate's number, knowing she really had no choice. Blair would probably kill her if she didn't tell her.

"Thanks," Blair said, putting her phone back in her pocket and turning around to leave. "'Bye, guys." She gave Jenelle a brief _don't-you-dare-give-it-to-Serena_ look before walking off.

Once Blair was out of sight, Jenelle smirked at Serena, wiggling her Motorola Slvr. Serena smiled back in understanding, grateful for her kindness, and pulled out her own phone.

Looks like more than one person will be getting a gift today!


	6. an unexpected call

_**an unexpected call**_

After her long day of school, Blair, and Jenelle, all Serena wanted to do was flop down onto her fluffy, silky bed and rest. More importantly, though, she wanted to catch up with Nate. Her old lover. The boy who had always held her heart in his hands.

So there Serena lay on top of her bedsheets, staring at the blank screen on her open flip phone. The screen waited to be filled with a passionate text message about how much she missed him, how much she longed to see him again, how he should leave where the hell he moved and come back, just to see her....

But then again, what was she texting for? Serena sighed deeply and selected Nate's number in her phone's address book, and pressed the call button, holding it up to her right ear. She bit her lip nervously as the tone buzzed in her ear. Then, an answer.

"Hello?" Nate's usual stoner voice answered, after four rings. He may have moved, but at least one thing was for sure: he hadn't changed his ways.

Once a stoner, always a stoner?

Serena almost couldn't speak. Joy, fear, and nervousness were making her voice freeze up. "N-Natie," she barely whispered. "Nate? Is that you?"

On the other end of the line, Nate abruptly sat up in his bed, clutching the phone tightly. That voice...it was so familiar. He couldn't be too sure, though: even he knew his stoner mind couldn't be trusted. "Serena?" he gasped.

Serena's glossed lips formed into a wide, joyous smile. "It's me, Natie, it's me," she said, her words coming out in a rush. "God, I missed you! I _still _miss you, how are you? Where did you run off to? Don't you miss us, Natie? Me, and Blair?"

Nate was still fazed with disbelief. _Blair who? _he thought, momentarily forgetting the girl he was supposed to be in love with. "Right…Blair…" he said slowly. "Ha, ha. Yeah well, slow down a little and let me answer one question at a time." He coughed wearily, and Serena's smile flickered in concern. "Where did I run off too…well, I'm not far away, Serena. Not far at all. I'm just as nearby as I've ever been. Still at St. Jude's—"

"What?" Serena interrupted, in shock. "Nate, do you realize how many times me and Blair have gone searching for you there? Why would you _do _that?"

"I needed to get away," Nate answered hastily. Now that the initial surprise had worn off, he fell back into his pillows. "I said I'm still at St. Jude's, but I definitely don't live where I used to. With my parents always at some crazy opera thing, and with my dad always giving me shit when they _are _home…it was fucking crazy, Serena, you've no idea."

"And they let you go on your own? Just like that?" Serena twirled a lock of hair in her long, slender fingers as she spoke. It had become her new habit.

Nate's laugh made the hairs on the back of her neck rise. It was such a beautiful sound. "It wasn't as easy at you make it sound. I gave them some bullshit goody-goody reason to let me out," he explained, "a reason I don't even remember at this point. And you're wrong: I'm not 'on my own'. I have roomies. We have this nice apartment just a couple of blocks away from you. Actually…" Nate glanced at his sailboat alarm clock, which glared _10:24_. "Wanna drop by? I'm really…bored. I could use some company, and I don't mean my psycho roomies."

Serena swung her legs off the bed, ready to dress up and get out. She had entirely forgotten her exhaustion from the day's events. "Of course I want to drop by," she breathed excitedly. "I would love to see you. Since when have I ever _not _wanted to see you?"

Nate smiled. "You can walk and get here in five to ten minutes," he told her. He gave her the directions to his apartment, and they quickly hung up, both barely able to contain their excitement.


	7. caught?

_**caught?**_

Minutes later, Serena was out the door in a warm, gray cashmere sweater and knit hat; and black skinny jeans, scarf, and fuzzy buckled boots. Snow was falling gently and her each breath was a cloud of white in her face, but she didn't even notice. All she was thinking about was Nate, Nate, Nate.

She glanced at her Rolex, pacing herself. She wanted to get there as fast as she could. Swiftly, she walked down the sidewalk past several shops: a bra shop, a salon, a Starbucks...

"Serena! Wait up!"

Serena stopped dead in her tracks in front of the Starbucks. That voice belonged to someone essential in this whole Nate situation, and yet, she hadn't thought of this person twice....

"Hey you," Blair greeted, stepping out of the shop to hug her best friend with one arm while holding a venti mocha in her occupied hand. "What're you doing out at this time? You told me you were tired."

"I could ask you the same, you know," Serena shot back, smiling, trying to hide the guilt building within her. "But I just remembered, I have to, um, run a couple quick errands."

Blair pulled away from the hug and looked at her incredulously. "_You,_ errands?" she repeated. "Since when did you run errands, Serena?"

Serena couldn't look at her. "Tonight, I guess," she said quietly, staring at her Rolex again for something to do. Any reason to avoid looking at Blair's suspicious, angry face.

Blair folded her arms and glared accusingly at the top of Serena's blond head, since she obviously was afraid to look directly at her. "Seriously, Serena," she pressed, "what kind of errands? You know, I could probably help you. And if I can't, you _could _just tell me what's happening with you. We can tell each other anything, can't we?"

_Shit, _Serena thought desperately. She was in a situation now. "Can't talk, it's really important," she mumbled, turning to leave. "Gotta run. Catch you later, okay?" She smiled gracefully at Blair, whose blue eyes were full of confusion and suspicion, before speeding down the sidewalk.

"But wait--" Blair began, but Serena was already a good distance away. Blair stood there with her steadily cooling mocha in hand, gazing thoughtfully at the figure growing continually distant. _What is that girl up to now? _she wondered. Blair knew Serena far too well to believe she was running _errands_, and she had noticed that Serena had acted weird. She frowned and squinted as she saw Serena turn the corner. She just had to figure out what sort of "errands" Serena was running.

So she followed Serena's path.


End file.
